Ukrainian troops have made a significant incursion into Russia's Kursk region, resulting in one of the most serious border incidents of the conflict so far.

Russian President Vladimir Putin accused Ukraine of a "major provocation," while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky did not directly confirm the attack, but indicated that pressure on Russia was bringing Ukraine closer to the prospect of peace, Al Jazeera reported.

Meanwhile the Institute for the Study of War (ISW) reported that Ukrainian forces had advanced up to 10 kilometers into the Kursk region, breaking through at least two Russian defense lines. The fighting is focused on the area around the city of Suja, an important logistics center, where 31 civilians, including 6 children, have been injured so far, while 5 people have been killed.

Russian Duma on its feet

But what worries the Russian public is the sharp reaction of the deputy of the Russian Duma, Elena Panina, to the events in Kursk. She described them as a Ukrainian invasion of Russian territory. On his Telegram channel, Panina wrote that the time of "special military operation" is over and the time of open "patriotic war" is coming.

The MP emphasized that the high level of organization of the invasion of the armed forces of Ukraine on Russian territory, the involved forces armed with the best Western weapons and assisted by a whole horde of drones proves that the attack was prepared in Washington, not in Kiev.

Panina also indicated that the attack in Kursk "was not isolated" and that other ground operations by the Ukrainian armed forces on Russian territory could follow.

Will Russia take revenge?

- The enemy that entered Russian soil should not only be stopped and thrown back across the state border, but also Suma and Kharkov, and Kiev, but also Dnipropetrovsk, as well as Mykolaiv and Odesa must be destroyed at the same time..." he noted. Panina.

On the other hand, Dmitry Medvedev also threatened to expand the war to the whole of Ukraine.

Ukrainian authorities have not directly claimed responsibility for the attack, but have stressed that any escalation is a consequence of Russian aggression. The statements come amid reports of increased fighting in the Suma region, which borders Kursk, where Russian forces have reportedly suffered significant losses.

The situation in Kursk has caused serious concern among Russian authorities, with reports of mass evacuations and panic among the local population, as pro-Ukrainian forces continued to attack Russian territory.